How to Begin a Career in Translation or Interpreting?

Answer 1

By Jen Westmoreland Bouchard

If you are fluent in at least two languages, working as a translator or interpreter can be a rewarding career. The difference between translation and interpreting is that translators deal with the written word and interpreters deal with the spoken word. Typically people specialize in one area (either translation or interpreters), but there are also a variety of professionals who do both.

It is important to have an idea of what type(s) of translation or interpreting you are interested in doing and then really building up your vocabulary in those fields. Some of the most popular fields include business, legal, government and medical translation and interpreting. You could also pursue a career as an academic translator or interpreter (for journals, conferences, etc.), literary translation (translating books or short stories) or doing film subtitle translations. Once you have a better idea of what kind of translation or interpreting you would like to pursue, you can tailor your studies and work experience to this field.

If your college or university offers specific translation and interpreting courses or a degree or certificate program, it is important to complete these if you are looking to become a translator or interpreter. Some of these programs are specifically geared toward a certain type of translation or interpreting (medical, legal, etc.). It is not enough to be fluent in another language to be an effective translator or interpreter, you must also understand the theories, ethics and practices behind both fields of translation and interpreting.

If your college or university does not offer translation or interpreting courses, contact a local translation or interpreting agency and try to get an internship or part-time job with them. This will give you an idea of what the profession is really like and help you to establish good contacts for the future.